Saturday 20 October 2018
7 — 11.45pm

RA Lates: Cosmic Ocean

Join us for a special RA Late event celebrating contemporary Oceanic culture and the unique natural landscape of the pacific islands, from seas to skies.

Covering nearly one third of the Earth’s surface, the pacific ocean is home to hundreds of islands, each with unique cultures and histories. Join us in celebrating these living cultures, from cosmologies and navigation, performance and ritual as well as the vast surrounding ocean.

LUAU! A Secret History | Dr Kaori O‘Connor, UCL
Thanks to writers, Hollywood and the tourism industry, the Hawai‘ian luau is one of the best known of all feasts, instantly recognised around the world as the epitome of paradise. Viewed both as an unchanged tradition and the epitome of kitsch, Anthropologist Kaori O‘Connor argues that it is neither of these, as she tells the secret history of the luau.

A guide to ocean sailing | Oliver Beardon
Sailor and ocean activist Oliver Beardon from Sail Britain discusses navigation techniques, comparing Oceanic maps to their modern equivalent. The currents which they represent have only recently been better understood as the rise of plastic waste has charted their paths across the ocean. Oliver will describe what we do collectively and individually to protect our oceans.

Pacific Dance Night

8pm – 11pm

Join performing arts groups from across the Pacific to share their traditional dances, while explaining their significance and histories at this unique takeover.

Tahiti and Hawaii | London Hula
Polynesian dance group perform the traditional ‘Ori Tahiti and Hawaiian Hula ‘Auana to ‘breakdown the idea of the dashboard hula doll’ and provide a deeper understanding of Polynesian dance and its cultural history at a series of workshops and performances.

Soulside DJ set with Emma G

9pm - 11.45pm

Auckland raised ‘liquid queen’ DJ Emma G has toured New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Italy and Slovakia with her soul and bass sets, combining deep introspective sounds with uplifting dance floor smashes.
Having become renowned for her signature sound of upbeat and soulful dnb / electronica, she brings a lively ‘soulside’ set to our Late.

Photo (c) Shakaiah Perez and Röymata Holmes

Shakaiah Perez presents 'Exotic Savage: The Decolonisation', a new site-specific film installation

8pm - 11pm

Shakaiah Perez is a multi-disciplinary artist from New Zealand of Afro Polynesian descent who draws from her ethnic heritage, ancestral linkages and experiences as a woman of colour to create art.

This new multi-sensory artwork incorporates poetry, dance, film, installation and participatory performance art to weave together narratives of (de)colonialism while celebrating Perez’s layered heritage and the stories of those in her communities.

Created in collaboration with Nikki Shaill / Art Macabre

After-hours private view of 'Oceania'

7.30pm - 10.30pm

Oceania brings together around 200 exceptional works from public collections worldwide, and spans over 500 years. From shell, greenstone and ceramic ornaments, to huge canoes and stunning god images, we explore important themes of voyaging, place making and encounter. The exhibition draws from rich historic ethnographic collections dating from the 18th century to the present, and includes seminal works produced by contemporary artists exploring history, identity and climate change.

VIP – £75

Exclusive access to a VIP art studio for Cosmic Ocean-inspired glitter makeovers, where you can be adorned in sparkles for the night, and a tropical floral wreath making workshop run by florist Lara Sanjar.

Plus a goody bag of gifts from the RA

Sold out

Dress code: Seas vs Skies

Think cosmic constellations, stars and moons, or alternatively opt for a deep sea creature and get inspired by coral, seaweed and jellyfish. Get creative and be bold!